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Southland Times, Issue 23393, 28 December 1937, Page 5

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YESTERDAY’S CLOSE CONTESTS <Bb PROSPECTS FOR TODAY’S FINALS (By TOP-SPIN) In the Christmas tennis tournament which continued yesterday Cliff Baird, of Wyndham, extended Alan Baird with good length driving and took the first set 6-2, but the St. Mary’s man steadied up to win the next two sets, and the match with the loss of only three games, the last point being won with a net-cord shot. The best display of tennis in the tournament so far was given by Baird and A. J. Deaker in the next round. Good length driving on the forehand, rather unexpected but profitable excursions to net, together with his opponent’s errors gave Deaker a straightset win, and the right to contest the final. Baird started confidently with good forehand drives and ran to a comfortable lead of 4-2. He dropped the next game when his drives were hitting the tape. Deaker then took the offensive and with three beautiful cross-court drives to the corners evened the score at 4-all. Baird had a chance for the set when he took Deaker’s service to lead 5-4, but a strong net attack by Deaker forced his opponent to resort to lobbing. Deaker persevered and evened five all. Baird made the mistake of staying on the baseline when he might have profited by his forcing forehand, although Deaker was handling . the fast ones very well. Good retrieving gave Deaker a lead of 6-5, and the set when he took Baird’s service in the next game. Baird led 2-1 and 30-love with his service, but Deaker took the game, and, with some fine forehand shots that caught his opponent on the wrong foot, took the lead 3-2. Baird evened the score, and with deep lobs that had his opponent in trouble, gained the lead. Baird was putting in some fast drives, but they were all coming back, and he trailed 4-5. He had the service in the vital eleventh game, and went to a 30-love lead, but Deaker won the next three points. At match point Baird netted an easy one to his forehand, and gave Deaker victory at 7-5, 6-4. A SLOWER MATCH In the other semi-final the game was not played at such a fast pace. Both McCallum and Strang took the net confidently, but McCallum was the more accurate. The game went to threeall in the first set. McCallum was playing to his opponent’s backhand, and, cutting off the returns with welljudged placements, he led 5-4, and won the set with a sliced angled volley that was perfect. He then went to a comfortable lead of 4-1 with fine passing shots, and untouchable smashes. Strang fought back and won the next three games, but could not keep up. form. McCallum proceeded to take his opponent’s service with two cleverly angled volleys, and a terrific smash. McCallum had his service to follow for the .match. Strang played some excellent passing shots that should have been winners, but they were retrieved well. A beautiful low volley gave McCallum match point, and a characteristic McCallum smash won him the. match 6-4, 6-4. DEAKER’S CHANCES Deaker is playing so well and so confidently that it is difficult to name the winner of this event, but if he can reproduce the form he showed against Alan Baird then McCallum will have to give of his best to gain the title. Miss Rebe Wilson won the women’s singles as expected, but it was a onesided game as the score indicates, and Miss K. Cutt failed to do herself justice and play the type of tennis of which she is capable. The finalists in the men’s championship doubles are Baird and Deaker, and McCallum and Strang. The former well-tried combination has had an easy path to the final, but the other pair dropped a set to Sharp and McLeod, and when leading 4-1 with one set in against Lindsay and Whitaker, were frequently caught out of position with passing shots and the set slipped away from them. Lindsay and Whitaker continued to press in the third set, and though they could gam only two games the run of the play was much closer. The final this afternoon should be well worth watching. Unless McCallum and Strang can show improved form the odds seem in favour of last year’s finalists, Deaker and Baird Fair progress has been made with the mixed doubles championship, and the handicap events. The men’s B grade handicap singles has been decided. The winner, Bruce Mehaffey, has a pleasing array of strokes, and played more steadily than usual to win the final narrowly from a young player, Buchanan, 9-8. The boys’ singles title was won by J. McLean of Makarewa. He put out a likely winner in G. Horsburgh, of Winton, in the second round, and went on to beat the improving Southender, A. Alsweiler in straight sets in the final. CANTERBURY TOURNAMENT POSTPONED (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, December 27. The Canterbury championship tennis tournament was postponed because of rain.